The Civil War Letters Annapolis, Maryland November 21, 1861

Annapolis Nov 21st 1861

Dear Wife

I write to you to inform you that I am still in good health and these few lines will find you the same  we have just had a long march  we left Balls Cross Roads Virginia last monday morning at sunrise and we have been on the march for three days and we arrives at Annoplis Md yesterday afternoon  we pitched our tents on the Banks of the Chesepeake Bay and this morning I washed my face with salt water for the first time since I left England and it was a pretty salty kind of a wash I tell you.
I do not know how long we will stay here  we may stay for a week or so but I dont think any longer  as soon as the ships are Ready we are going to put our horses on board of them and we are going out Sea but I don't know where we will land  Some of us think that we are going to Charleston in South Carolina some to Fortress Monroe but I dont know for shure which place we are going but it will be one or the other  but I expect it will take us a week to get all the horses on Board the ships and everything read for Sea.
if i was at home I could tell you about all the places we seen (garbled)  on Monday we reached Bladensburg and stopedfor the night on tuesday

We encamped in the wilderness and on wednesday we reached the city of Annoplis the Capitol of the state of maryland and our next trip will be on the Briney Sea  I expect that we will be all sea sick or homesick before we have been out two days  we have had pretty tough times in our March but I expect it will be a little tougher when we land at Charleston  but somebody must do it and we are bound to go through if we can. Dear Maggie
you must excuse me for not writing a more lengthey letter but I have got no ink but a bad pencil so I must close my letter with my very best love for you  Dear Wife  I remain forever your
Affectionate Husband  W Lancaster

Dear Maggie
I ask a small favor of you  we have received no pay yet and I want you to send me one Dollar $1.00 as soon as you can and I will repay it with intrest some of these days  write as soon as you receive this for we may not be here long
Your Afft
Husband
William Lancaster

Directions
Wm Lancaster
care Capt Hartman Co F
Col Harlans Cavalry
Annapolis Md

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